It is eight years since St Helens last tasted Super League Grand Final success and Lance Hohaia is focused on ending the famous club's title drought.
Saints were the only side to keep their 100 percent start to the season intact last weekend, beating Wakefield Trinity 24-16 to sit top of the table after six rounds.
It represents a positive start in the Lancashire club's pursuit of a first Grand Final appearance since 2011, the last of five straight defeats for the Saints in English rugby league's showpiece match.
Four of those losses came at the hands of Leeds and they are the visitors to Langtree Park on Friday in a clash that could put St Helens' early-season title credentials to the test.
"The history of the club is we have had a lot of success, and over the last two years we haven't reached the heights we would have liked," said Hohaia.
"There is no doubt that there is the talent available at the club. If we can stay fit and healthy, we have a good chance.
- 'Turbulent few years' -
"We have had a fairly turbulent few years. We probably haven't succeeded as much as we would have liked in the last couple of years so it is nice to have a good start to the year."
St Helens found themselves 16-4 behind on Sunday, before overturning Wakefield, as a knee injury forced former NZ Warriors man Hohaia to watch on.
Another absentee, with calf damage, was new boy Luke Walsh -- the former Penrith Panther joined in pre-season -- and Hohaia said he would be missed over the next few weeks.
"Any team that loses their half-back is going to have to really pull together," he added.
"I think Walshy has shown how important he is to us over the last three or four weeks and we definitely missed him at the weekend."
However, Hohaia is hoping to return to action as soon as Friday to face Leeds -- and ensure Saints are the only unbeaten side left in the competition.
"Leeds are always a confident team and it is a big challenge for us," said the utility back.
"But we put a bit of pressure on ourselves to win at home and we want to perform well for our fans."
Elsewhere, Rangi Chase has warned his Salford team-mates that there is plenty of room for improvement when they travel to Hull FC.
Chase returned from injury to inspire his side to victory over his former employers, the previously unbeaten Castleford, but the Kiwi-born half-back insists the best is still to come.
"We've got the talent there," he said. "We've just got to learn to suffocate teams and keep turning the screw. There's loads more improvement in us."
Hull K R host Wakefield on Sunday, looking to build on their 16-0 victory over Bradford - their first of the season -- and Australian prop Justin Poore dedicated the win to coach Craig Sandercock.
"We wanted to win for Sandy," he said. "It was good to see him smile for the first time after the game. That was a good feeling for us.
"We knew we weren't far off and it's a good feeling to get our first win."
Fixtures (2000GMT unless stated)
Thursday: London Broncos v Castleford
Friday: Hull FC v Salford, St Helens v Leeds, Wigan v Catalan Dragons
Sunday: Huddersfield v Warrington (1500GMT), Hull K R v Wakefield (1500GMT), Widnes v Bradford (1500GMT)
Source: AFP
